Song of the Fire Bird
by Wolfy Nightstreaker
Summary: Years ago the Doctor looked into the Untempered Schism and he ran. When he couldn't run any farther, when he was brought to his lowest, he saw it. A bird that looked like it was on fire. It sang to him and he was inspired. If it wasn't for that he wouldn't be the man he is today. His journey began with a song, a song he hoped to hear again. 10/OC
1. Pilot

**Song of the Caged Bird**

Chapter 1: Pilot

A young boy, only eight years old, sat shaking on a field of deep red grass.

_Those who look into the Untempered Schism, into the Vortex…_

The things he saw… The boy quaked with tremors, fear sinking deep into his bones.

_Some would be inspired…_

He thought for sure he would have some brilliant epiphany, something that would change his world for the better. After all that was the reason they had them look into the Vortex, because they wanted them to be inspired, to be something great. He should have known better, known that only a few would get that brilliant epiphany everyone hopes to have staring into the Vortex.

_Some would go mad…_

The only thing he could think of to be grateful for is that he didn't go mad, not like his friend. The one who kept drumming that four beat rhythm. Bum bum bum bum…

_Some would run away…_

It was painful, staring into the vortex. He hoped he never had to face that again. Oh… the things he saw, horrible beyond imagine. He couldn't face it, he ran. He wasn't ashamed by that fact. He never would be… The things he saw… It would haunt him.

A golden glow slowly grew stronger until it surrounded him. The boy looked up a tad fearfully to see what exactly was giving off the light only to gasp in awe. A bird made of fire was perched in front of him. It's body was red bleeding into yellow and then white. The colors shifting exactly like the flicker of a flame. The bird regarded him with youthful curiosity, it's eyes a pure white with no pupil or iris, just a pure white color.

The boy knew what this magnificent bird was. He grew up on stories of the creature, a phenite, an emphatic bird that was made of pure energy. It's kind were rare, but they could be seen traveling the universe feeding on the energy of stars, frolicking in solar flares, and most of all playing with the local life forms the come across.

This bird was relatively young, not yet full grown, just a tiny little thing. It's parents must still be near, it too young to be traveling on its own quite yet. The young hatchling chirped happily at him and flew to sit on his knee. It's tiny talons gently digging into his pants. It rubbed it's tiny head on his arm in a comforting manner. The boy couldn't help but smile in wonderment and rub the chick's head, albeit a bit hesitantly.

The chick cocked it's head at him as if making a decision of some kind. It opened its tiny beak and broke into the most beautiful song he had ever heard. Phenites were known for their singing, many had heard their unique and awe-inspiring melody, but there were those who said they had heard a phenites song and not it's singing. They made it a clear distinction between the two.

The boy had never understood what the difference was until he heard it himself. The phenites weren't just emphatic, they were telepathic. Many had heard a phenite sing it's melody, but few had heard the phenite's mind sing a song unique to the bird itself.

_Those who listen to a phenite's song…_

The boy felt tears filling his eyes. No one was ever able to describe in words a phenite's song, just like no one could describe looking into the Untempered Schism.

_Some would go mad…_

Phenites were emphatic, capable of feeling the emotions of those around them. With that came a certain understanding. No matter how young they might be they understood something elemental. Something that couldn't be researched or studied, you either understood it or you didn't.

_Some would run away…_

Through their travels they have come across every emotion in the spectrum. Fear, pain, sadness, loneliness… Courage, bliss, joy, love. Those emotions all mixed up and jumbled into something one could only call life. The phenites lived to bring a little bit of joy into a universe fill with a lot of sorrow. It was their unselfish goal in life, and it brought them great pleasure to pursue it.

_Some… Well, some would be inspired…_

The boy tipped his head back and laughed, the phenite's understanding of the world filling him. The boy looked back at the chick with a wide grin, a wild gleam in his eye that would stay with him no matter how many regenerations. 'Cause sometimes you had to frolic in solar flares to really get something.

**End Chapter 1: Pilot**

Okay, my first Dr. Who fanfic. This is only a pilot to see if people are interested. Now I am new to Dr. Who. Only started watching it this year, gasp I know. How could I have missed this awesomeness? I know, but now I am hooked. I love it and am watching the beginning of season 7 right now.

Sooo… please people be gentle. Dr. Who is rather difficult to write for, but I am attempting it since I got this awesome idea. Tell me if I mess something up and I'll fix it to the best of my abilities. This story was inspired by the star whale episode, if it isn't obvious.

But anyway tell me if you liked the prologue. If you do I'll continue.

Update 6/3/2013: Rewritten to make it a bit smoother… and cause I wrote this chapter at like 3 am and was tired, but thought what the heck let's post. I like posting things. Sooo I think it's much better now.


	2. Lost

**Song of the Fire Bird**

**Chapter 2: Lost**

A bird made of fire hovered inside a sphere made of energy. The golden glow that the bird's race was known for was dim on this one, dying. The bird didn't move but every now and then a spark would race from the sphere to the bird. An act that had once made it cry out with pain, now it didn't have the strength to lift it's head.

The room blocked the bird's telepathy, the people outside of the room and on the other side of the glass unable to take the screaming that filled their heads. They hated themselves for doing this to such a gentle creature, but they had no other choice.

Phenites were made of pure energy, the perfect power source. A strong one at that, just one bird was capable of running an entire space station for over a century. Of course by using a phenite as a power source they were literally taking away it's life energy and killing it. But they had no choice, their power source had failed. Thousands would have died without that essential energy. They needed a quick fix and they found one, as appalling as it was.

Few knew about the bird, it would have upset the public to know the truth. The bird had remained the space stations dirty little secret for decades.

The problem with dirty little secrets was that they never remained secrets.

A group of people hid from the workers as they stared through the glass at the bird. A young girl, barely old enough to be called a teenager, lifted a hand and laid it on the glass. Sorrow filled her being at seeing such a gentle creature being brutalized. A frown marred her otherwise pretty face and anger sparked into reflective grey eyes.

"Everyone remember the plan?" A middle aged man asked. His experienced gaze ran over everyone in his tiny rebel group. Their ages ranging from a young girl to an elderly man, and none of them had much experience with the sort of thing they planned to do. The man felt pride fill him at seeing their steady determined gazes as they nodded to his question. Many would be afraid, he wouldn't blame them for feeling it, but they all met his stare without fear. "Okay let's go save the phenite."

So many things went wrong; they didn't foresee the problems and complications they would face. They did save the phenite, but at a cost. Someone died and a sacrifice was made, but the phenite would live. It's body may be broken, but it would live. That was all that mattered.

* * *

It was December of the year 1999. Snow covered the ground and a cold wind swept the Earth. A young girl, barely old enough to be called a teenager, rose from the ground. A frown marred her otherwise pretty face and confusion filled her reflective grey eyes. She patted the snow that had started to pile on her off.

She shivered slightly as she wandered the strange place she found herself. She came to a long black strip. It was pretty wide with white and yellow lines on its dirty surface. She was standing in the middle of it when lights blinded her. A loud screeching noise filled her ears as she closed her eyes against the light.

"Damn it, kid. What are you doing in the street? Are you okay?" A potbellied man emerged from the metal contraption as he strode over to her to check for damage. The girls head spun as worry, panic, and anger slammed into her. What was going on?

The man's pale face scrunched in concern as he kneeled next to her. "You don't look so good. What's your name kid? Where are your parents?"

"I… I don't know." She scrunched her head in concentration but nothing popped up. "I don't know my own name." Tears started to fill her eyes when she realized she couldn't remember a thing.

The man swore. "It's going to be okay. I'll get you some help. We'll find out where you belong." The man wrapped an arm around her as she cried.

* * *

**End Chapter 2: Lost**

Sorry for the shortness, but it was a good place to stop. I don't write for pages or words per say but more in organized chunks. I know where I'm going to stop when I start and that's just how many pages or words I get when I'm done.

Now, who is confused? I wonder how many of you will guess what happened. Lolz. Comments are always welcomed. I really want to know how I'm doing and what people think of this.

By the way, I had made a few revisions to the first chapter so it's a bit smoother and shows more of what I pictured the scene as. I had written that chapter when I was bored and tired. It kind of showed so I suggest a quick reread. It's not like it was really long, but anyway thanks to those who review. I love reviews!


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